Africa's female black writers

(Above) Sindiwe Magona



By Marika du Plessis

At a literary workshop in South Africa recently, young black ladies who love reading imaginative books hardly knew anything about outstanding black female authors over the years in the African continent. But we had some experts who helped us out; and at the end of the day everybody’s knowledge was enhanced.

In South Africa the leading lights among the female writers include Miriam Tlali, Sindiwe Magona, Lauretta Ngcobo and Ellen Kuzwayo. The late Kuzwayo’s literary reputation rests mainly on the publication of her major work, Call me woman. Tlali was the first black woman to publish a major novel, Mirriam at Metropolitan. It was moving learning about Sindiwe Magona who had three kids by the age of 23, seemingly destined for a very hard life, but she went on to educate herself, work overseas and publish a number of excellent books, including To my children’s children and Mother to mother.

But not only South African women have been making waves in writing. Indeed black female writers from West Africa in particular started the trend. Ghana produced the late Efua Sutherland who was a fine dramatist; and also Ama Atta Aidoo, novelist, short story writer and dramatist. Nigeria produced Flora Nwapa and the outstanding Buchi Emecheta of whom I enjoyed reading her book, Head above water, so much

Also from western Africa was the great Senegalese female writer Mariama Ba who published So long a letter. The book was originally written in French but has now been translated into other major languages world-wide. The book focuses on the travails of women in a particular society and an attempt to handle such problems with some dignity.

From eastern Africa (mainly Kenya) African women like Grace Ogot, Barbara Kimenye, Rebeka Njau have been writing quality books for decades. Njau’s Ripples in the pond would appeal to most ladies, a very fine piece of work (as Mr. Lebohang Thaisi the writer would say)

Apart from South Africa, neighbouring Zimbabwe has also churned out outstanding black female writers. Most people would immediately think about Tsitsi Dangarembga whose novel, Nervous conditions still remains a classic some twenty years after publication. But also, Yvonne Vera with her powerful novels was world class too (pity she left this world prematurely)